Lacing device.



BENJAMIN FERRIS, -OF PUEBLO, COLORADO.

Laarne/DEVICE.

'Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1908.

y Application filed December 18, 1902. Serial No. 135,707.

To all whom it lmay concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN FERRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pueblo, Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lacing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of lacing devices having a series of studs mounted on or near the adjacent edges of the artieleto be laced, one of the studs of each series having an eye through which the lace is threaded, and the balance of the series having grooves for receiving and holdiiw the lace removably in its laced position, and.j clamping hooks arranged at the opposite end for preventing the lace from becoming loosened or unlaced. It relates further, and particularly, to the construction of the groeven studs and to their arrangement with relation to the end and clamping studs.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple, economical and cllcient aeing device.

A further object of the invention is te provide a lacing device adapted to removably hold a lace in lacing iosition throughout the entire length of the. iaced portion, permit it to become entirely unlaced automatically upon moving apart the edges of the article held thereby, and enable a` worn or broken lace to be removed and a new one introduced and laced without removing the article worn from the person of the wearer.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for holding a lace removably in )osition tliroughout the entire length of its laced portion and permit it to automaticall unlace upon separating the edges of the article held thereby, and provided with means for holding the lace so that the ends thereof are of equal length-all without the use of eyelets.

A further object of the invention is 'to provide a stud with means for enabling it to be quickly and etliciently attached to a shoe in an economical manner and without injury thereto.

Further objects of the invention will appear from an examination of the drawings and the following description and claim.

l In the accompanying drawing-Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved'lacing device as applied to an ordinary shoe; Fig. 2 a sectional elevation of a grooved stud, taken on line 2 of Figs. 1 and 3 Fig. 3 a sectional plan View 0f the grooved stud shown in Fig.

2, taken on line 3 lookingin the direction of Y.

the. arrow.

In constructing a lacing device in accord-v ance with my improvements, I provide a plurality of studs a, comprising an upper metallic head portieri b, having an integral depending stem portion c and provided with a. Central perforation l extending upward through such head and stem portion and rendering them both hollow. he lower end o f the hollow stem portion thus formed is split into a plurality ot integral clamping arms e, adapted to be spread Ainto clamping position-as shown in Fig. 2- -and hold the-stud in position, by holding the article on which it is mounted between such clamping arm and the lower shoulder f of the stud. The head )ort-ion of the stud thus formed and mounted 1s provided with a peripheral groove g, which extends )artially around the hollow portion thereof, leaving a separating shell or wall of material between such vgroove and the central hollow portion of such head. This groove is made only of suilicicntde )th to enable a lace 7L to be removably hel( thereby and cause its outer edge to extend be ond the edge of the stud., or at least flush t 1erewith, so as to present no exposed edge to catch upon or wear away the garment of the wearer and permit it to become unlaeed of its own accord upon loosening the ends of the lace. A series of these grooved studs is arranged upon or near each of the adjacent edges of the article of apparel to be laced thereby-such as a shoe t', as shown in Figs.

1 and 2.

lAt one end. of each series of grooved studs is mounted what .l will, for convenience, term an eye stud j, each of which is made of metal and provided with an eye, which extends therethrough and is adapted to receive and hold the lace in position, and permits it to be adjusted in the eye-studs and held so that its ends are of the desired relative length.

To hold the bows or ends of the lace in position after it has been laced and properly secured, elastic metallic clamping hook studs p are provided, preferably one for each series of grooved studs'.

In operation, the lace is first adjusted in the eye-studs, which are arranged at one end of the double series of grooved studs and on V other, as shown in Fig. 1, and tied in the ordinarv manner-the bows of the knot being held removably in position by the clamping hook studs, as shown. `When it is desired to unlace the shoe, all that is necessary is to untie the lace and move the edges of the laced article apart, which will cause the laces to fall away from the sides without any effort on the part of the wearer, dispensing entirelyr portion of t e grooved studs round, as shown,

causes them to resemble a button in form, so that they do not tend to disligure the article of apparelto which they are attached; and

that making the stem round and hollow, as shown, and leaving a wall of metal between the groove of the head and central perforation therethrough, enables it to be readily inserted through' a circular perforation in the article to be laced and elliciently held in place, and also enables the'clampinvarms to be readily spread and bent into c amping position by simple means-which it .is unnecessary to describe here-and provides an exceedingly strong and durable stud.

In a lacing device of the class described, a stud com risingr an upier head port-ion provided wit 1 an axial pcrroration and a peri heral groove and having an integral wall etween the axial perforation and the-peripheral groove, and means for holdinfr the stud in position, substantially as described.

BENJAMIN FERRIS.

Witnesses Lons B. CARR, 

